Individual wheel suspension



April 28, 1936. R. F. PEO

I INDIVIDUAL WHEEL SUSPEIISION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 10,1934 EVE! GT R. F. PEO 7 2,033,597

INDIVIDUAL WHEEL SUSPENSION Original Filed Feb. 10, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet2 April 28, 1936.

Patented Apr. 28, 1936 INDIVIDUAL WHEEL SUSPENSION Ralph F. Pco,Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Honda Engineering Corporation, Buifalo, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application February 10, 1934,Serial No. 710,649. Divided and this application May 7, 1934, Serial No.724,289

. 10 Claims. (Cl. 267-19) one of the links of the linkage quadrilateralbesorber disclosed in my co-pending application, 5 tween the vehiclebody and the wheel to be sus- Serial No. 706,487, filed January 14,1934. pended. This application is a division of my The outer, linkstructure ofthe linkage quadripending application, Serial No. 710,649,filed Feblateral is formed y. the em desisnatedas a ruary 10, 1934, tocover structure disclosed but whole 0'. This member comprises abody IIfrom not claimed in my co-pe'nding application.- which'arms H and Iextend downwardly and One of the important objects of the invention isinwardly to receive between their outer ends the to provide improvedmeans for safeguarding eye l6 formed at the end of the vehicle spring, aagainst breaking of the vehicle spring and to prepivot bolt I'Iextending through the arms and th vent undue bending of the springand-tilting of eye to form' the pivot connection. the wheels underlateral stresses, as when the- Arms l8 and I! extend upwardly fromthebody l5 vehicle is making a t 1 p l3 and are pivoted to the outerends of the shock Another important object is the provision of aabsorber levers II and II by a pivot bolt 20. 'Excomparativelynon-flexible member or arm betending outwardly from the body' [3 is, thelow the vehicle spring and pivoted at its inner end, knuckle boss 2| forsupporting the steering to the vehicle chassisand at its outer end tothe knuckle block or member 22 having the. upper outer link of thelinkage, 'said-guidearm serving and lower bearing lugs 23 and 24extending into strengthen the linkage structure against undue wardlytherefrom and between which the knuckle distortion without interferingwith the proper boss. 2| is received, the king bolt 25 extendingfunctioning thereof and serving also to receive thethrough the lugs andthe knuckle boss to pivot spring in case of breakage'th'erecf and tothen the knuckle block to the boss, the knuckle block 25 function as thelower link of the suspensionlinkv supporting the spindle or axle 26 onwhich the age untilthe spring canbe' repaired or replaced; vehicle wheelis mounted.-

A further object is to provide improved means The. steering lever 21extends from the upper for limiting the up and down movementof the, lug23 on the steering knuckle block and is conspring end and the safety armstructuretherebenected with the drag link 28 having connection 30 low.with the steering wheel of the automobile. The

The above referred to and'other features of the arm 29' extends from thelower bearinglug 24 on. invention are incorporated in the structureshown the steering knuckle block and is connected with v on thedrawings, in which drawings: one end of a cross-link (not shown) whichat its Figure 1 is a front elevation ofa vehicle chassis 1 other end isconnected with the lower lever on" the and a linkage structure togetherwith the steering knuckle block of the opposite wheel. strengthening andsafety arm structure below the Q The structure thus far describedprovides inspring; 7 dividual flexible suspension for the steering wheelFigure 2 is a side elevation of the structure of an automobile, thehydraulic shock absorber shown in Figure 1 but with the steering knuckleincluded in the linkage quadrilateral controlling 40 structure removed;a and absorbing the road shock.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the spring and the When a vehicle istraveling over rough road safe guarding means. and during side swaythereof or while rapidly I have shown myinvention applied to the typeturning corners, the vehicle spring which forms of automobile having atransversely extending part of the suspension linkages will be subjectedcantilever leaf spring in at the front secured at to heavy strain oftension, compression and bendits middle to the vehicle chassis frame C.Each ing, particularly the long leaf of the spring which end of thespring forms the lower link of a linkis pivoted at its end to the outerlink of the link age quadrilateral for suspending the correspondagequadrilateral, and the spring, particularly the ing wheel structure. Thevehicle body for'ms the longer leaves thereof, may break. It is animinner side link of the suspension linkage, the upportant object ofthis invention to provide means per link structure of'the linkage beingthe two for guarding'against collapse of the suspension lever arms H andII secured to and extending linkage and accident under such conditions.In from the opposite-ends of the piston shaft 12 of a the arrangementshown, the pivot eyes it at the My invention relates to individual wheelsuspension for automotive vehicles'and particularly to that type ofsuspension in which the endof a transversely extending cantilever springforms hydraulic shock absorber structure S whose body or housing, whichforms the hydraulic working chamber, is rigidly secured to the side ofthe vehicle chassis. The shock absorber is preferably of the balancedvane type suchas the shock abends of the lower or long spring leaf IDare below the plane of this leaf and each eye receives the pivot pin orbolt I! supported in the arms l4 and I5 extending downwardly from thecorresponding outer link structure 0, a bearing bushing 45 beingpreferably inserted between the eye and the bolt. Each end of the springforming part of the corresponding linkage quadrilateral is paralleled byarms or levers 46 and 41 at the opposite sides thereof and these armsare bridged by a wall 48 below the spring. The lever or arm structurecould be a length of channel beam.

The arm or lever structure extends from the pivot axis of the spring endto, or approximately to, the point of flexing of the lower spring leaf.At the outer ends the arms or channel sides 46 and 41 have the apertures49 for receiving hearing bushings 50 fitting in the bearing openings 5|in the arms l4 and I5 extending from the outer side link member 0 of thesuspension linkage, these bushings 50 journalling the ends of the pin orbolt IT to which the spring end is pivoted. To provide suflicientbearing surface the material around the apertures 49 is deflected toform bearing flanges 52. Washers 53 receive the outer ends of the pivotbolt l1 and are held against the bushings 50 by nuts 54 and extend infront of the bearing flanges 52 to hold the lever arms 46 and 41 inproper pivotal position relative to the bushings.

At its middle the vehicle spring III is securely clamped between thefront cross beam of the vehicle chassis and the clamping fitting 55 bymeans of U or strap bolts 56. Extending from the clamp fitting 55 belowand in front and rear of the spring ID are the pivot lugs or walls 51and 58 which are apertured to receive the hearing bushings 59 throughwhich extend the pivot pin or bolt 69. The axis of this hearing bushingis at, or substantially at, the flexure axis of the lower leaf of thespring. The formation of the arms 46 and 41 at their inner ends is thesame as at their outer ends, the inner ends being apertured and flangedas indicated at 6| to surround the bearing bushings 59, the washers 62being secured to the bolt ends by nuts 63.

The axis of the bolt is substantially the same distance below the lowerleaf of the spring as the axis of the bolt H which pivots the end of thespring leaf to the outer link structure 0 so that the arm or leverstructure substantially parallels the long or lower leaf of the springwith the bottom 48 of the lever substantially parallel with and shortdistance below the bottom leaf. As the suspension linkage operatesduring running of the car this lever structure will follow'the movementof the spring and in order to prevent interference with the lengtheningor shortening of the spring as the spring flexes the pivot connectionsof the lever structure are made yieldable and this may be accomplishedby the interposition of resilient bushings 64 between the bearingflanges of the arms 46 and 41 and the bearing bushings 59 at the outerends of the arms, and the bearing bushing 59 at the inner ends of thearms. The lever structure will strengthen the linkage structure againstundue distortion but, on account of the yieldable pivot connections,will not interfere with the proper functioning of the suspensionlinkages. So long as the spring remains intact it will form theresilient lower link of the suspension linkage but should the springbreak, as for example at the outer end of the lower leaf, the springwill recoil and rest against the bottom 49 of the lever structure andthis lever structure will then form a rigid lower link for thesuspension linkage quadrilateral and the wheel will be held in uprightposition and the suspension linkage will operate safely until repairscan be made. In other words, so long as the vehicle spring is intact,the lever structure acts merely to guard against undue distortion of thesuspension linkage quadrilateral and protects the spring against unduestrain, but in case of breakage of the spring this lower link structurewill take up the burden and act, in place of the spring, as the lowerlink of the suspension linkage until repairs or replacements can bemade. Accidents will thus be avoided in case of spring breakage orfailure.

As an additional precaution to insure safety and to limit the relativemovement between the chassis and the spring in order to prevent undueand unnecessary movement of the suspension linkage vertically and toprotect it against strain and injury, an abutment structure in the formof a rectangular frame 65 may be suspended from the vehicle chassis. Theframe is secured to the chassis by suitable bolts 66 and has the uppercross wall 61 and the lower cross wall '68 between which cross walls thevehicle spring and the lever structure 48 extend. Secured to the uppercross wall is a resilient and cushioning member 69 such as a block orpad of rubber and on the lower cross wall 66 is a similar cushioningmember 10. The upper cushioning member is engaged by the spring to limitthe undue movement of the spring toward the chassis and the lowerabutment member is engaged by the lever structure 48 upon undue movementof the spring structure away from the chassis. The up and down movementof the suspension linkage and wheel is thus kept within proper and safelimits.

Displacement of the suspension linkages in direction longitudinally ofthe vehicle is prevented by radius arms 3| which are of strongconstruction and resistance against compression as well as tension. Attheir rear ends, these arms may be suitably secured or pivoted to thevehicle chassis, at the sides thereof, or at the longitudinally centerline. The front portions 34 of the arms terminate in bearing ends 35which extend through bearing bores 31 in the bodies l3 of the outer linkstructures 0. These bearing ends are inserted in the bores with theirshoulders 36 abutting against the rear sides of the link bodies and attheir outer ends are threaded to receive a nut 38 for engaging againstthe front side of the link body 13. These brace or radius rod structureswill take up all longitudinal strains and stresses and twisting ortorsional strains due particularly to brake torque and the push of thewheels, while at the same time the fulcrum and bearing connection of thebrace structure with the linkages will permit sufficient yield so as notto interfere with the proper functioning of the wheels and theirlinkages and will leave their wheel structure free to rise and fallwithout interference with the other wheel structure.

While I have shown a practical and eflicient embodiment of the variousfeatures of my invention, I do not desire to limit it to the exactconstruction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changesand modifications are possible which would still come within the scopeof the invention.

I claim as follows:

1. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles, the combination of avehicle chassis, a leaf spring secured to the chassis and extendingtherefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising an outer side linkproviding bearing support for a vehicle wheel,

an upper link extending between the upper end of,

' spring, said arm being pivotally anchored near the anchored end ofsaid spring and being pivoted at its outer end to said side linkconcentric with the pivot connection of the spring with said side link,one of the pivotal connections of said arm being yielding whereby topermit lengthening and shortening of said spring.

-2. In individual wheel suspension, for vehicles, the combination of avehicle chassis, a leaf spring secured to the chassis and extendingtherefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising an outer side linkproviding bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upper link extendingbetween the upper end of said side link and the vehicle chassis, saidsilient link of said linkage, and an arm alongside of said spring, saidarm being pivotally anchored near the anchored end of 'saidspring andhaving yieldable pivot connection at its outer-end with said side linkconcentric with the pivot connection of the spring with said side link,and a wall on said arm extending underneath said spring.

3. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles, the combination of avehicle chassis, a leaf spring secured to the chassis and extendingtherefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising an outer side linkproviding bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upper link extendingbetween the upper end of said side link and the vehicle chassis, saidspring at its outer end being pivoted to the lower end 01. said sidelink and forming the lower resilient link of said linkage, and anarmparalleling said spring, said arm being pivotally anchored near theanchored end of said spring and being pivoted at its outer end to saidside link concentric with the pivot connection of the spring with saidside link, the pivotal connections of said arm being yielding whereby toprevent interference of said arm with the lengthening and shortening ofsaid spring when under flexure. 4. In individual wheel suspension forvehicles,

' the combination of a vehicle chassis, a spring opposite sides of saidspring extending substantially parallel therewith, said arms at theirouter ends being pivoted to said outer link concentric with the pivotconnection of the spring therewith and said arms at their inner endsbeing pivotally anchored at substantially the point of flexure of saidspring, the pivotal connections of said arms being yielding whereby topermit lengthening and shortening of said spring.

5. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles,

the combination of a vehicle chassis, a spring extending therefrom andanchored at its inner end to the chassis, a suspension linkagecomprising an outer link providing bearing support for a vehicle wheel,an upper link connecting between the upper end of said outer link andthe vehicle chassis, said spring at its outer end being pivoted to thelower end of said outer link and forming a resilient lower link for saidlinkage, arms at opposite sides of said spring extending substantiallyparallel therewith, said arms at their outer ends having yieldable'pivotconnections with said outer link concentric with the pivot connection ofthe spring therewith and said arms at their inner ends being pivotallyanchored at substantially the point of ilexure of said spring, and across wall connecting said arms and being underneath said spring wherebyupon breakage of said spring it will be received by said cross wall andheld thereon by said arms.

6. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles, the combination of-avehicle chassis, a leaf spring secured to the chassis and extendingtherefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising an outer side linkproviding bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upper link extendingbetween the upper end of said side link and the vehicle chassis, saidspring at. its outer end being pivoted to the lower end of said sidelink and forming the lower resilient link of said linkage, and an armparalleling said spring, said arm being pivotally anchored near theanchored end of said spring and beingpivoted at its outer end to saidside link concentric with the pivot connection of the spring with saidside link, the pivot connections of said arm including resilientbushings whereby to be yieldable to permit lengthening and shorteningoi. said spring under flexure when in service.

7. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles, the combination of avehicle chassis, a leaf spring anchored at its inner end to said chassisand extending laterally therefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising anouter link providing bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upper linkextending between said outer link and the chassis, said spring beingpivoted at its outer end to said outer link and forming a resilientlower link for said linkage, an arm extending below said spring, saidarm being pivotally anchored near the inner end of said spring and beingpivoted to said outer link concentric with the pivot connection of thespring therewith, means in the pivotal connection of said arm forpermitting lengthening and shortening of said spring, said arm servingas a support for said spring in case of breakage thereof and to functionas the lower link of said linkage in case oi. such breakage.

8. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles, the combination of avehicle chassis, a leaf spring anchored at its inner end to said chassisand extending laterally therefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising anouter link providing bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upper linkextending between said outer link and the chassis, said spring beingpivoted at its outer end to said outer link and forming a resilientlower link for said linkage, an arm extending below said spring, saidarm being pivotally anchored near the inner end of said spring and beingpivoted to said outer link concentric with the pivot connection of thespring therewith, one of the pivot connections of said arm beingyielding whereby to permit lengthening and shortening of said spring,said arm serving as a support for said spring in case of breakagethereof and to function as the lower link of said linkage in case ofsuch breakage, an abutment above said spring and an abutment below saidarm, said abutments being supported from the vehicle chassis and servingto limit the vertical movement of said linkage.

9. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles,

the combination of a vehicle chassis, a leaf spring secured to thechassis and extending therefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising anouter side link providing bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upperlink extending between the upper end of said side link and the vehiclechassis, said spring at its outer end being pivoted to the lower end ofsaid side link and forming the lower resilient link of said linkage, anarm paralleling said spring, said arm being pivotally anchored near theanchored end of said spring and being pivoted at its outer end to saidside link concentric with the pivot connection of the spring with saidside link, one of said arm pivot connections including resilient bushingstructure whereby to permit lengthening and shortening of said spring.

10. In individual wheel suspension for vehicles, the combination of avehicle chassis, a leaf spring anchored at its inner end to said chassisand extending laterally therefrom, a linkage quadrilateral comprising anouter' link providing bearing support for a vehicle wheel, an upper linkextending between said outer link and the chassis, said spring beingpivoted at its outer end to said outer link and forming a resilientlower link for said linkage, an arm extending below said spring andparallel therewith, said arm being pivotally anchored near the inner endof said spring and being pivoted at its outer end to said outer link,one of said arm pivot connections being yielding whereby to permitlengthening and shortening of said spring, said arm being of channelshaped cross section whereby to provide a trough for receiving andsupporting said spring in case of breakage thereof.

RALPH F. PEO.

